Klawock’s Jean Jackson made history on March 29 at the 2025 Juneau Lions Club Gold Medal Basketball Tournament, becoming the first woman inducted into the tournament’s Hall of Fame.
“I’m so honored,” Jackson said when receiving the award. “I feel so completely honored. I’m speechless.”
Jackson’s basketball journey was noted in high school when she led Klawock to four straight region titles (1986-1989) and was an all-conference selection each year. As a freshman she led Klawock to a state runner-up finish and then followed that with three straight state championships.
“Being part of basketball from a young age and coaching girls basketball from third grade up to 12th grade I do realize that you have got to be involved and you have got to get kids out there,” Jackson said. “I hope this is inspiring for some of these little ones.”
After graduating college Jackson returned to coach the Klawock girls (1993-2001) and won seven consecutive region championships, contributing to the town’s run of 14 titles in 15 years (1984-1999). She coached the 1A Chieftains to a state runner-up finish in 1994, fourth place in 1995, a state title in 1996, fourth place in 1997. She then led them to a runner-up finish at the 2A level in 1998 and a state title in 2A in 1999 and she was selected the coach of the year in the state.
When asked if she remembers how she first was introduced to the sport.
“Look around,” she said. “It’s southeast Alaska. It’s just something all the kids did. It was just never a question we just went out and did it.”
She does not remember the first basket she made.
“I do remember just always being out there,” she said. “And it would be you with all these guys. It wasn’t until I started to get my sisters out there playing more. Then once I got into middle school I started playing with the same ladies that I played Gold Medal basketball with.”
While coaching she played in the GMT, six years in the women’s bracket. She won five championships in those six years, four Most Valuable Player awards, one Defensive Player and one All-Tournament Team award.
“Things like recognition like this that’s what it is about,” Jensen said. “The people you surround yourself with. This doesn’t come on your own. Things like my first shot made I don’t remember but I do remember all the opportunities I had to play with some pretty amazing women and a lot of it was at the Gold Medal Basketball Tournament.”
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@juneauempire.com.
